Surgical truss with adjustable pad



Sept. 2, 1 w. CONNER SURGICAL TRUSSWITH ADJUSTABLE PAD Filed Nov. 19, 1949 a an /m w M W 6 "M 5 4.6 MHZ 9 4 2 a B 4 W W nhf n WV 8 max/9 INVENTOR WILLIAM L CONNER A T TORNEV- Patented Sept. 2, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE SURGICAL 'rauss' WITH ADJUSTABLE PAD William-L. Conner, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application November 19, 1949, Serial No. 128,462

4 Claims. (Cl. 128110) This invention relates to surgical trusses for hernias or the like and one object of my invention is to provide an improved truss that is highly effective in applying a desired degree of localized pressure on the hernia without discomfort'to the used. A further object is to have'a high degree of flexibility of application so that the truss may be applied with equal facility to different body contours.

Another object is to provide an improved truss having the foregoing characteristics as well as being relatively simple, compact and readily'disassembled and assembled so as to insure maximum cleanliness and ease of operation.

While a great many types of trusses have been heretofore suggested andused, yet they have been deficient either functionally, structurally, or

economically.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the accompanying'drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View of my improved truss showing the straps broken away;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my improved pressure applying element;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1 showing my improved pressure element and substantially its minimum pressure position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing the pressure element and substantially its maximum pressure position; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective of a plastic pad.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, I have provided a usual body belt I and leg straps 2, it being understood that the device as shown is for single hernia application, although a double hernia arrangement can be provided merely by duplicating the pressure element in the customary manner. Hence, the double hernia arrangement is not shown. The pressure element, generally indicated at 3, consists of a belt base 4 secured by screws 5 to a fiat metal belt plate 6 which in turn is secured to the body belt I by rivets I. The belt base 4 generally follows the external configuration of plate 6, while an inner sealing surface 8 of semi-spherical shape, preferably concave, terminates in a circular opening 9. A ball swivel I I] has a semispherical convex surface II seated on seat 8. This ball swivel serves as a movable connection for a body pressure ball element I2. A normally flat circular pad I3 of sponge plastic is supported on the semi-spherical convex surface of the pressure element I2 which has a recess I4 2 formed in the center of its circular flat back surface. The pad I3 is held inposition by a thin plastic cover I5 which extends entirely over the pad and thence inwardly between the flat back of ball swivel I0 and a circular cover clamp I6 which is flat on both sides, the clamp I6 and ball swivel Ill thereby comprising a clamping means. The edge surface of the clamp is slightly tapered to allow the cover I5 to extendsmoothly from between the ball and clamp as well as to center the clamp and pinch the cover against a slightly flared centering rim I! of the ball swivel. If desired, the edge I8 of the plastic cover may be provided with a drawstring tohold the plastic pad and cover initially in position. To exert clamping pressure on the cover, the clamp I6 is provided with a small hub I9 having a threaded bore for receiving a combined clamping and pressure adjusting screw 20 which extends into recess I4 for abutting the bottom thereof but without having threaded engagement therewith. The screw head engages a locking plate 2| curved in semispherical shape to conform to the similarly curved surface of an extension lip 22 of casing 4. Thus, by tightening screw 20, plate 2i is pulled against base 4 and simultaneously cover clamp I6 is pulled toward ball ID to clamp the cover membrane I5 and also to pull swivel ball I0 firmly against seat 8 of base 4. All of the elements are thereby secured together as a single rigid unit through the simple expedient of a sin- 'gle operating element such as screw 20 which thus constitutes means common to the operation of the clamping and pressure adjusting elements. After the pad is initially held in position on pressure ball I3 by tying cover I5 around the back of clamping plate I6 and before screw 20 is completely tightened, the user may then readily adjust elements I0, I6, I3, I2 and I5 as a single unit in any angulardirection desired within the limits of the spherical surfaces of seat 8 and ball swivel I0. In this manner the pad I3 may apply pressure on the user's body in a direction that is most efiective for the particular contour of the body whether the person be stout so as to require an upward pressure, as shown by the dotted line position 23 of pad I3, or thin so as to require an adjustment to the dotted line position 24. Adjustments may be obtained for various intermediate positions as well as different laterally angular positions depending upon whether pressure is to be applied in a sidewise direction. All of these vertical and lateral positions of adaptation are readily accomplished in a simple and expeditious manner by my improved device and the finally selected position can be permanently maintained simply by tightening screw 20 to force clamping plate 2I tightly against lips 22.

To obtain different degrees of pressure, a longer screw 26, Fig. 4, may be employed whereby upon tightening this screw it will force pressure ball I2 outwardly thereby creating a greater body pressure with no change in adjustment of belt I. The plastic cover I will either stretch or slip slightly beneath clamp I6 to accommodate the extended position of pressure ball I2, or the plastic pad I3 will yield sufiiciently at its outer corner under the tension of cover I5 to compensate for the extended pressure position. Any number of screws of different length may be supplied to the user so that he may conveniently effect any desired degree of pressure.

From the foregoing disclosure, it is seen that I have provided a pressure device for a truss that embodies many desirable structural and functional characteristics, including adaptation to body contours, selection of degree of pressure. and simplicity of operation, compactness and sanitation, all of which will insure a maximum degree of satisfaction and comfort to the user.. The elements such as casing 4, swivel I 0, clamp I6 and pressure ball I2 can be, readily manufactured out of Bakelite or other plastic material if desired. Their shape and size are such as to lend them, selves to be made readily and economically in simple molds, although it is obviously understood that other materials such as metals or the like may be employed if desired. w I

It will, of course, be understood by thoseskilled in the art that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts Without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A pressure device for a trusscomprising, in combination, a base having a semi-spherical seat, a body pressure applying ball, a pad and a cover therefor mounted on said ball, clamping means interposed between said seat and ball for clamping said cover around the pad, and means for commonly holding said clam-ping means to the base and for simultaneously moving the pressure applying ball outwardly. I v

2. The combination :set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that the holding means includes a locking plate engageable with the side of said base opposite to that on which the semi-spherical seat is formed and a screw extends through said plate and has threaded engagement with said clamping means so that tightening of the screw causes the locking plate and clamping means to be firmly drawn to the opposite sides of the base.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that the base has a semi-spherical outer surface concentric with the semi-spherical seat, and the holding means includes a semispherical locking plate engageable with said outer surface of the base for spherical movement relative thereto and a screw extends through said plate and has threaded engagement with said clamping means to draw the latter and plate together.

4. A truss device for applying localized pressure to a hernia comprising, in combination, a base normally supported on a body belt, a pressure ball, a plural part clamping means interposed between said base and ball but separate from each of the same, a cover enclosing said ball and extending between the plural parts of the clamping means to be held thereby, and a screw ex tending through said base and threaded into said clamping means to draw the same to said base, said screw extending through and beyond said clamping means to engage the pressure ball to force the same relatively away from the clamping means While the latter .is being drawn toward the base.

' WILLIAM L. CONNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 461,040 Naidl Oct, 13, 1891 828,022 Donnelly Aug. 7, 1906 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 425,185 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1935 665,807 Germany Oct. 4, 1938 

